^2 cook's first voyage JAN. 



a bow and arrows. The bow was not inelegantly 

 made, and the arrows were the neatest that we had 

 ever seen : they were of wood, polished to the 

 highest degree ; and the point, which was of glass 

 or flint, and barbed, was formed and fitted with 

 wonderful dexterity. We saw also some pieces of 

 glass and flint among them unwrought, besides rings, 

 buttons, cloth, and canvass, with other European 

 commodities ; they must, therefore, sometimes travel 

 to the northward, for it is many years since any ship 

 has been so far south as this part of Terra del 

 Fuego. We observed, also, that they showed no 

 surprise at our fire-arms, with the use of which they 

 appeared to be well acquainted ; for they made 

 signs to Mr. Banks to shoot a seal which followed 

 the boat, as they were going on shore from the ship. 

 M. de Bougainville, who, in January, I7C8, just 

 one year before us, had been on shore upon this 

 coast in latitude 53° 40' 4 1'^ had, among other things, 

 given glass to the people whom he found here ; for 

 he says, that a boy about twelve years old took it 

 into his head to eat some of it : by this unhappy 

 accident he died in great misery ; but the endeavours 

 of the good father, the French aumo7iier, were more 

 successful than those of the surgeon ; for though 

 the surgeon could not save his life, the charitable 

 priest found means to steal a Christian baptism upon 

 him so secretly, that none of his Pagan relations 

 knew any thing of the matter. These people might 

 probably have some of the very glass which Bougain- 

 ville left behind him, either from other natives, or 

 perhaps from himself; for they appeared rather to 

 be a travelling horde than to have any fixed habit- 

 ation. Their houses are built to stand but for a short 

 time. They have no utensil or furniture but the 

 basket and satchel, which have been mentioned 

 before, and which have handles adapted to the 

 carrying them about, in the hand and upon the back. 

 The only clothing they had here was scarcely sufficient 



